He was found guilty of murdering Sappers Mark Quinsey, 23, and Patrick Azimkar, 21, outside Massereene army barracks in Antrim Town in March 2009. The soldiers were ambushed as they collected pizzas just hours before they were to be flown out for their Afghan tour of duty.

Shivers's legal team claims he was wrongly punished and want an urgent hearing due to his severe medical condition. They will allege that the DNA evidence used to convict him was unsafe.

Shivers, 46, from Magherafelt, County Derry, was told this month he would serve a minimum 25 years in prison after being convicted in January of the killings.

He was also found guilty of six counts of attempted murder and one of possession of two firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life.

His co-accused, Colin Duffy, a 44-year-old republican from Lurgan, County Armagh, was acquitted of all charges, including the two murders.

During the trial the court was told that Shivers suffers from cystic fibrosis and has only a few years to live.

He was found guilty on the strength of a DNA link to matches found in the car used in the attack and then set alight.

Shivers was also found to have lied about his whereabouts and actions on the night of the murders.